Devotion to today's patron saint to ask for a grace: 13 September 2020

SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antioch, c. 349 - Comana on the Black Sea, September 14, 407

Giovanni, born in Antioch (probably in 349), after the first years spent in the desert, was ordained a priest by Bishop Fabiano and became his collaborator. A great preacher, in 398 he was called to succeed the patriarch Nectar on the chair of Constantinople. John's activity was appreciated and discussed: evangelization of the countryside, the creation of hospitals, anti-Aryan processions under the protection of the imperial police, sermons of fire with which he whipped vices and lukewarmness, severe references to indolent monks and ecclesiastics too sensitive to wealth. Illegally deposed by a group of bishops led by Theophilus of Alexandria, and exiled, he was recalled almost immediately by the emperor Arcadius. But two months later Giovanni was again exiled, first to Armenia, then to the shores of the Black Sea. Here on 14 September 407, Giovanni died. From the tomb of Comana, the son of Arcadius, Theodosius the Younger, had the mortal remains of the saint transferred to Constantinople, where they arrived on the night of January 27, 438. (Avvenire)

PRAYER TO SAN GIOVANNI CRISOSTOMO

(it can also be done as a novena by repeating it for 9 consecutive days)

I. O glorious s. John Chrysostom, who as you progressed in secular studies, still progressed in the science of health, so that even as a young boy in Athens you had the glory of confusing so many pagan philosophers, and of converting the famous Antemo into a fervent Christian, intercede to us all grace to always use our lights to advance in the knowledge essential to health, and to procure at all power the conversion and improvement of all our brothers.

II. O glorious s. Giovanni Crisostomo, who preferred the solitude and mortification of the desert to the honors of the century and, unworthy of the priestly anointing, you hid yourself in the most inhospitable caves to escape the episcopal dignity, to which the prelates of Syria had raised you, and there all the time you spent composing the most important works of the Priesthood, Communion and Monastic Life, intercede to us all the grace to always utter the withdrawal at the appearance, the solitude to tumult, the abjection to glory, and not to spend never a single moment without some health work.

III. O glorious s. John Chrysostom, who despite all the resistance of your humility, consecrated priest in the age of thirty, you were visibly filled with all the gifts of heaven, since, under the figure of a dove, the Holy Spirit came to rest on your head, intercede to we all have the grace to always approach the due sacraments with due provisions, in order to bring back in ever greater copies those prodigious effects for which they are instituted.

IV. O glorious s. John Chrysostom, who, having become the reformer of the peoples with the efficacy of your preaching, still became with your charity the relief of all miseries, especially when Antioch expected his total extermination from the irritated Theodosius, intercede with us the grace of troubling with all our strength to enlighten the ignorant, to correct the misguided, to console the afflicted, and to assist our neighbor in all kinds of needs.

V. O glorious s. Giovanni Crisostomo, who, elevated by the consent of all the bishops to the eminent dignity of Patriarch of Constantinople, still became the model of the most sublime perfection for the frugality of the canteen, for the poverty of the decorations, for the tireless assiduity to prayer, to preaching , to the celebration of the holy mysteries and even more for the wisdom in which you provided for all the needs of twenty-eight ecclesiastical provinces entrusted to you, and obtained and obtained the conversion of the Celts, the Seites and the Phoenicians, as well as many heretics who infested everything 1 In the East, intercede for us all the grace to always carry out perfectly all the duties of the state in which we are currently, and of any other in which we were engaged by the sovereign Providence.

YOU. O glorious s. Giovanni Chrysostom, that, always suffering with unalterable resignation the slanders published against you by the most powerful enemies, then the deposition, and for two times the exile from your home, and the attempted murder of your person, you were still from God glorified himself with the earthquake and the hail that desolated Constantinople in pain of your expulsion, with petitions sent to you to call you back, with the most horrendous misfortunes that have come to your persecutors, and finally with the most wonderful prodigies operated to the advantage of the most disadvantaged places where you were bound, obtain all of us the grace to always suffer with meekness, indeed to reciprocate with the benefits the confrontations of our enemies, in order to commit the Most High to glorify us in measure of the suffered humiliations.

VII. O glorious s. John Chrysostom, who with a completely new miracle, thirty years after your death consoled the peoples entrusted to you in time of your life, because acclaimed by them and invoked as a saint and brought back from Pontus to your dear Constantinople and received as in triumph , and placed on your patriarchal point, you opened your lips to pronounce those great words: Peace be with you: Fax Vobis: deh! spread your intercession to us too, in order to obtain from the Most High that peace that surpasses all sentiment, and that mutual union which forms one family of all men, and which is a prelude and a principle of that unalterable peace that we hope to enjoy with you and with all the elect in heaven.

PRAYER OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM FOR MARRIAGE

Thank you, Lord, because you have given us love that is capable of changing the substance of things.

When a man and a woman become one in marriage they no longer appear as earthly creatures but are the very image of God. Thus united they are not afraid of anything. With harmony, love and peace, man and woman are masters of all the beauties of the world. They can live in peace, protected by the good they want according to what God has established. Thank you, Lord, for the love you have given us.